John Cleese has admitted he and his Monty Python co-stars are "terribly rude" to each other, going on to argue Americans "don't understand" UK comedy.
The 84-year-old talked about how he, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin are "disgraceful" when they get together.
The comedy legend talked about the Fawtly Towers play and revealed he'd recently enjoyed a dinner with his former Monty Python co-stars.
Speaking on Chris Evans Breakfast Show, he enthused: "It was good to see them again. We’re very silly. We’re disgraceful for all people.
"Because old people are supposed to be sort of dignified!"
He went on: "I tease Michael all the time for making very boring travel programmes. And I ask Terry Gilliam if he's about to shoot another expensive flop!
Cleese has argued Americans 'don't understand' UK humour
BBC
"We’re terribly rude to each other all the time, which is very hard for the literal-minded to understand.
"The problem in America is they don't understand that, in England, the more we love someone, the more we insult them. You can't put that together."
As he reflected on being a part of the popular comedy troupe, he stated: "They used to say we were the Beatles of comedy."
However, when asked if it felt that way, he admitted: "No. It was very simple, both with Python and with Fawlty Towers, we were just trying to be funny.
Cleese admits he and his former co-stars are 'disgraceful'
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"It's very simple. I annoyed a lot of intellectuals once by saying it's much harder to be funny than it is to be clever."
Cleese has recently made clear he still shares plenty of laughs with his former co-stars.
Earlier this year, he commented he and Eric Idle "loathed" each other, but later insisted the scathing remarks were just a joke.
The actor and comedian shared: “I don't know why people always assume we're loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age,” he went on before blasting manager Holly Gilliam.
In retaliation, Cleese, 84, penned on his X account: “I have worked with Holly for the last ten years.
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“I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and plea ant to have dealings with. Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.”
Idle also posted that he hadn’t seen Cleese in “seven years” and was “happy” about it, seemingly confirming a rift between the former co-stars.
As surprised fans questioned Cleese further about his relationship with Idle, he replied to one writing: “We have always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
However, he has since argued his remarks weren’t serious, labelling publications that reported on the “feud” as having “got it totally wrong”.
